The resolution of every economic crisis sows the seeds of the next. Public pension systems in advanced and emerging economies alike were already under stress before the Great Recession. The past few years’ destruction of wealth and the likelihood of slower growth in the future have weakened them further and will put some under intolerable pressure.

Bankruptcy lawyers have a frightening message for America: They’re seeing the telltale signs of a student loan debt bubble that is placing increased financial pressure on families struggling with their children’s mounting debt. According to a recent survey by the NACBA, more than 80 percent of bankruptcy lawyers have seen a substantial increase in the number of clients seeking relief from student loans in recent years.

To create spin-offs and boost tech transfer, universities must actively help young researchers to become entrepreneurs. Researchers turned entrepreneurs are providing an increasingly significant channel for spin-off formation and technology transfer, making it ever-more crucial that universities create a supportive environment for young researchers with entrepreneurial aspirations.

For all the advances made in drug therapies in recent years, the time and money spent on making them available is actually increasing, says Gail Maderis, CEO of BayBio, the Northern California industry group co-sponsoring the two-day conference, opening Thursday in San Francisco. "We're in a position now where aspirin would probably not be approved by the FDA because of the risk factors associated," she said.

Good-governance groups are fighting back against companies that take state subsidies and then head out of town. Most states and cities will do almost anything to induce companies to set up shop within their borders—or to keep them there. It seems no tax incentive is too plush, no subsidy too bountiful. But what happens if they renege on the deal and pack up or simply don't live up to their promises?